The Desert Sun
by spockish girl
Summary: McCoy is lost in the Vulcan desert...
1. Chapter 1

Sweat running down his forehead into his eyebrows.

God awful planet ...

He trudged through the sand.

His tricorder slamming into his thigh with every step.

His blue shirt was soaked with sweat.

He wiped at his forehead with the back of his hand.

Blasted Vulcan...

He saw a figure ahead.

Spock!

He ran through the sand. Stumbling.

The figure seemed to keep getting farther and farther away. He couldn't get there.

Colors. Spinning.

Dizzy...

His mind raced.

I'm sorry Jim there's nothing I could do. Spock, you pointy-eared elf! He's dead Jim...I can't find Spock. Jim… 

And then pitch darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

He woke up to bright light shining in his eyes. A shadow loomed above him.

"Spock?" He grumbled. Trying to get up on his elbows.

"Bones." The shadow answered with a gentle tone and turned the flashlight off. It was Jim Kirk.

"Jim." He settled back. "Jim, where the hell did you come from? Spock and I were out looking for you. And then Spock…Jim, Spock went off. We were separated. There was a bad windstorm and I lost my canteen. That blasted pointy-eared first officer of yours went to look for my canteen!" He tried to sit up, but Jim pushed him down. The doctor saw Jim was covered in bruises and cuts. "Jim, what the hell happened to you?" He tried to stand but his head spun.

"Bones. You've been out for a while. You're suffering from heat stroke. Lie down." Jim said trying to steady his friend. He took out his own canteen and handed it to the doctor. The doctor nodded his thanks and took small swallows.

"I'm fine. But I can't say the same for you. What happened to you?" He gestured at Jim's cuts and bruises.

"Oh." Jim looked at his injuries. "I ran into a wild sehlat. And…I can't say it was too happy to see me." He rubbed his arm.

Dr. McCoy was looking around. Finally, he spotted his medical tricorder. He picked it up and waved it Jim. "You sure do get into trouble Jim. When you didn't come back to the conference room after you went off with that young lady, Spock and I decided to go out looking for you. We found the girl. But she had no idea where you were. Just said you wanted to look into something."

"I had…lost my communicator…I must of dropped it when…the other night." He sounded uncomfortable.

"When you went off with your lady friend. To her assigned quarters, I'll bet." McCoy smirked. But Jim ignored him. He looked around.

"We better keep looking for Spock. He might need help." Jim said.

McCoy took his shirt off and ripped it up. "Not before I bandage you up. Your arm's bleeding pretty bad." He bound the arm tightly. And then took another piece of cloth and dampened it with water from the canteen. He carefully studied the Captain's head. "You've got a bad gash on your head." He patted at it with the cloth. The Captain took the cloth from him.

"It's not that bad." He continued to pat at it himself. McCoy took a hypo out and set it.

"How do you feel?" He said not looking up.

"A bit of a headache. But I'll be fine." Kirk said turning around.

"Here, this should get rid of the headache for a while." McCoy said pressing the hypo against Kirk's neck.

"Thanks, Bones." Jim said picking up the canteen. "We'd better get going. Do you think you can locate Spock with your tricorder?"

The doctor set his tricorder. "I'm not sure. It's hard to pinpoint him. Wait- I think I have him. He's two kilometers away from here...That way." He pointed. "I can't tell what his condition is from here." McCoy said almost frustrated.

Both men started to walk. It was getting dark. If they were going to find Spock, they better do it soon.


	3. Chapter 3

Dr. McCoy and Captain Kirk trudged through the dark.

"Jim…I can't see a thing." McCoy grumbled. "Jim…how in God's name can we find Spock if we can't see him?" McCoy yelled trying to get his friend's attention. But Kirk was ignoring him. "Jim!" McCoy insisted again.

"We should be almost there." Jim said, irritated.

"Not if we got off in the wrong direction. It's pitch black!" McCoy yelled. Jim was yet again, silent for a long time, then he moved ahead of McCoy.

"I think I see him-a figure…over that ridge." He pointed to a barely visible ridge and quickened his pace.

McCoy squinted, "I don't see anything." He grumbled but Jim was already out of earshot. McCoy quickened his pace, stumbling in the sand. "God damn it," He cursed as he got to his feet and trudged after his friend.

Kirk slowed down when he got closer to the ridge. "Spock?" He moved towards the figure. He could barely see it. _I think he's hurt. _Kirk bent down to touch the figure, gently.

All of the sudden the being lurched up. It was large and green with quite noticeably large fangs and claws. Jim Kirk fell back, scrambling to get away from the creature. "Definitely not Spock, Bones!" He yelled.

"Jim! What in blazes-?" McCoy yelled in the darkness. "I can't see you! What's happening?" He shouted.

Jim Kirk was frozen in fear as the creature loomed over him.

"Bones…we've got a bit of a problem." Kirk said finally finding his voice.

"Jim?" McCoy grew concerned as he saw the large green animal start to move.

"I could use a suggestion, Doctor!" Jim said avoiding the creature's first attack.

McCoy thought a moment. _Phasers…_"Jim! What about your phaser?" He shouted over the creature's screeching.

"Oh great suggestion Bones, if I had a phaser!" Jim said dodging the creature, but he didn't move fast enough; the creature nicked his shoulder with its claws. "Ouch," He murmured.

McCoy inched in closer.

If only I could just grab Jim…there! He lunged in to grab Jim by the arm and pulled him up. "Run Jim!" He yelled.

Both men stumbled off as fast as they could go.

McCoy spotted a rock not too far ahead and helped his friend onto it.

"Jim-boy, you have an affinity for trouble." McCoy said scanning the Captain with his tricorder. "I've never treated anything like this! There's an unknown poison in the wound! I don't even know the antidote!" McCoy said, frustrated. He administered a pain killer/antibiotic.

"Two animals…in…24 hours. Must…be a record." Jim gasped, trying to grin.

The doctor took out 2 cc's of tri-ox and administered it. "That should help you breathe easier." He said worriedly. He sat down next to his friend. "You know…this wasn't exactly how I pictured this trip. A conference on Vulcan, what could go wrong? Well…I guess I found out." He said rubbing his chin.

"Bones…I'm sorry. It's my entire fault. If I hadn't gone off…you and Spock wouldn't have to of come out looking for me. Spock wouldn't be missing. He might be hurt." Jim said looking worried.

"I'm worried about him too, Jim" McCoy said staring out into the night. "But…right now, **you** should get some rest. There's a spot beside the rock, here." He patted the spot next to him. "It's not the most comfortable place in the world…but obviously traipsing out in the night isn't a very safe option with all these blasted creatures leaping out at us." He said waving his hands around.

Jim nodded and smiled. "Good idea, Bones." He said getting comfortable against the rock. "Good idea," he murmured. Soon, he was asleep.

Not a comfortable sleep, but at least he was asleep, McCoy thought. He studied his friend with concern. _I hope he'll be all right…I just wish that blasted Vulcan first officer of his were here. I don't have a clue what to give Jim…and I hope…Spock's all right._ Soon the doctor was fast asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

McCoy awoke to blazing light. _God…I must be dead. _He tried to move, hitting his head on a rock next to him. "Nope, I'm alive…" He groaned putting his hand to his head. He muttered curses to himself. "Still in the blasted Vulcan desert." He picked up his medkit, tricorder, and Jim's canteen.

He kneeled next to the Captain. "Jim…Jim, come on. Wake up, damn it!" He shook his friend.

Jim groaned and put his hand to his head. "My head…feels…like hell." He grumbled. "Not to mention my shoulder."

McCoy handed him the canteen. "Drink," he ordered.

"Don't you say please anymore, Bones?" Jim asked with a grin, putting the canteen to his lips.

"I stopped asking you to do things a long time ago when I realized that **you** were the kind of fool who needed to be told to take care of himself." McCoy grumbled waving the tricorder over the Captain.

Jim chuckled, "Oh, I see." He looked at the tricorder, then at McCoy. "So what's the prognosis, Doctor?" He asked smirking.

"You've gained a couple of pounds since your last physical." McCoy muttered.

"That's not what I meant and you know it," Jim snapped.

Bones cast him a disapproving glance. "You're a helluva lot worse than you should be." He studied his tricorder. "And the worst part is, I don't even know where to begin to treat it!" He stood up, throwing his hands up.

Jim tried to stand, using the rock for support. "Then…we should find someone who does," He said grunting. Waves of vertigo hit him, he clutched his head and his legs gave out. His whole body felt numb. "Not the best way to start the day," He grumbled.

McCoy came to his side and helped him on to the rock.

"Bones…I can't…stand. Numb." Jim gasped, trying to catch his breath. The doctor moved into position to carry him, fireman style.

"Bones, don't. I don't think carrying me to the city is…such a good idea." Jim said.

"Shut up and put your arm around my shoulder!" McCoy shouted. He was very concerned about his friend; he didn't know how much longer Jim could last in this heat with that injury. Hell, he didn't know how long **he** could last carrying Jim in this heat. But he refused to leave Jim here.

At least I can see where I'm going now… 


	5. Chapter 5

McCoy was trudging on when he spotted a blue clad figure ahead. Sitting against a rock. He gently lay the unconscious Captain down on the ground. The Captain had lost consciousness an hour ago, much to the dismay of a concerned McCoy.

McCoy ran over to the rock, or tried to. He was exhausted after carrying the Captain. He turned the figure over…it was…Spock!

"Spock!" McCoy yelled. He quickly knelt next to the Vulcan and found a pulse. It seemed like Spock ran into an unfriendly animal as well. His uniform was torn and he had a cut on his forehead. Dried green blood caked the side of his face. McCoy went back to the Captain and brought him to the other side of the rock. He then took his tricorder and quickly scanned Spock. _No poison. Good_. McCoy took out a stimulant/antibiotic and administered it.

Spock was not waking up, however. "No…come on, Spock. Spock!" McCoy yelled shaking the Vulcan. Then he remembered about the Vulcan healing trance that M'Benga told him about. _Yes…that must be it. _He struck the Vulcan, then again and again. A strong hand caught his next attempt.

"Doctor," Spock said, blinking.

"Spock…are you alright?" McCoy said surprised, removing his hand from the Vulcan's grasp.

Spock was silent for a moment and then spoke. "I am functional. The healing trance was most refreshing."

Spock thought a moment, steepling his fingers. "I was attacked by a wild sehlat, shortly after we were separated. I was trying to locate you, but due to the intensity of the storm, was unsuccessful."

Spock's left eyebrow raised an inch, "Jim," he murmured.

"I found him, Spock." McCoy said quickly. "Well, actually he found me, I had blacked out. He got in a little trouble with a sehlat too. Minor injuries. We were trying to find you, but he was attacked by some poisonous creature." McCoy said sitting next to Jim. Spock followed and knelt down next to the Captain. His eyes softened.

"A le-matya. Their claws are poisonous." He stated turning to McCoy. "What is his condition?"

"Not good," McCoy sighed, checking Jim's pulse. "He needs immediate medical attention. I don't know how to treat this, not to mention, I don't have the medication." He said standing. "His canteen is empty," McCoy said tossing the useless canteen aside.

Spock said nothing but picked Jim up in his arms, gently, and started off to the city."

"Spock, what in blazes are you doing?" McCoy yelled starting after the Vulcan.

Spock turned to face him, "You said the Captain was in need of immediate medical attention, did you not?"

"Well…yes. But, Spock, you're in no shape to carry him all the way to the blasted city!" McCoy yelled.

"I am functional, Doctor. The Captain is **not**. Your energy reserves have been severely depleted by carrying him this far. The logical conclusion is that **I** carry the Captain to the city. This is no time for heroics, Doctor." Spock stated with a firm, authoritative tone. He turned around and continued on.

"Who's talking about heroics?" He yelled after Spock. "You said there are always alternatives! Surely there's got to be another option. Can't you-"

"Doctor, the other option would be to leave the Captain **here**. An option, I would prefer not to take." He said interrupting the Doctor.

"Agreed," McCoy muttered. And with that both men continued on to the city.


	6. Chapter 6

Spock and McCoy had little conversation has they trudged through the Vulcan desert, towards the city. They were almost there. Spock could see more of it now as the sun set.

"Spock…I…don't know what to say. I don't know what I would have done if you…well…I would never have been able to carry Jim this far by myself." McCoy mumbled.

Spock ignored the Doctor's statement. "It is getting dark. You should rest, Doctor." He said laying Kirk down gently.

McCoy grunted, "I was trying to thank you," he muttered under his breath. He took out his medical tricoder and started scanning Kirk. Spock sat on the other side of Kirk.

"Damn, he's getting worse. He's slipping deeper into shock…" McCoy administered medication to Kirk's neck. "That's all I can do. Damn it." He cursed. He studied his tricorder and sighed. He yawned shortly afterwards. "I'm gonna hit the hay…there's nothing more I can do for him tonight," He turned on his side, yawning again. "What about you?" he asked looking at Spock.

"I do not require rest," Spock answered.

"Oh really? Well…you could have fooled me," He grumbled. Within minutes, the good Doctor was asleep.

Spock picked up the Doctor's tricorder and scanned the Captain.

The results were not reassuring. He looked at Jim, worriedly. Jim was pale and his face was covered in beads of sweat. He was moving restlessly in a feverish sleep. Spock gently put his hand on Jim's forehead. This was definitely not a Human's normal temperature. Spock put his index finger and middle finger on Kirk's temple, sinking into his friend's mind.

Waves of pain and heat hit Spock through the meld. Spock concentrated on lowering Jim's temperature. He absorbed as much of his friend's pain as he could, but white-hot pain shot throughout Spock's mind and he was forced to quickly dissolve the meld.

Spock gasped, recovering from the meld. He again felt the Jim's forehead. The human felt cooler now.

Spock moved closer to Jim. Settling down with the tricorder and medkit close at hand. He dared not go to sleep. He had to ensure that the Captain was safe throughout the night.

Jim was yet again, restlessly tossing in his sleep.

Spock remembered when his mother was ill at one time; she was sleeping quite restlessly as well. Amanda had requested that Spock holder her hand. She told him that Humans were comforted by the gesture when they were ill or frightened.

Spock gently took Jim's hand. He wished to calm his friend, to comfort him. And almost immediately, as if Jim knew who was holding his hand stilled and started to rest peacefully.


	7. Chapter 7

A loud groan woke Spock and he quickly opened his eyes, turning to the sound of the groan

_Author's Note: I haven't written in ages. I don't know how it'll be, because I haven't really been in the Star Trek fandom in quite some time. I promise to write the last chapter very soon. Thanks to those who encouraged me to continue._

A loud groan woke Spock and he quickly opened his eyes, turning to the sound of the groan. Dr. McCoy was sitting upright, rubbing his temples and mumbling some words of profanity under his breath. He looked up and saw Spock staring at him. "Damn headache. I feel like I just downed a bottle of Romulan Ale. Not that you'd know a thing about hangovers, Spock." McCoy sat up, putting a hand to his eyes and groaning again. "Where's that damn tricorder?" He started feeling the sand around him, blindly. Spock merely raised his left eyebrow in response, handing the tricorder to the doctor and moving out of his way.

McCoy grumbled a small "Thanks", taking the tricorder from Spock and grabbing his medkit from the sand. He stood up, shakily and moved over to where Jim was laying down next to Spock. He knelt down and took a hypospray out of his medkit and applied it to the Captain's arm. He looked up at Spock. "That was the last of the pain medication. We need to get to the city today, Spock. Or else...Jim...his chances..."

Spock turned away from McCoy and gently picked the Captain up in his arms and started walking. McCoy sighed and put his tricorder strap around his shoulder and clipped his medkit onto his belt.

"We've been walking for hours. How much further do you think it can possibly be, Spock?" Dr. McCoy asked in an aggravated tone, wiping sweat from his brow.

"We have been walking exactly 2.4 hours, Doctor. It is now 1415 hours and we started walking at 1200 hours." Spock replied solemnly.

"Oh, really. Well, I'm glad we'll know the time before we die, Spock." McCoy said sarcastically. The Vulcan's expression did not change. "How much further?" McCoy questioned again.

"I do not know, Doctor." Spock said, shifting the Captain in his arms, slightly.

"Oh, but you know the time." McCoy grumbled. "This is your planet, Spock. Don't you know your way around?" McCoy said cuttingly glaring at Spock. Spock's expression still did not change. "What? Are we _lost_, Spock? On Vulcan. I wonder what my grave will say...'Lost on Vulcan, with a Vulcan who didn't know where the **hell** he was going on his _own planet_!'" McCoy's voice started to grow louder. "Great way to go! Always wanted it this way...Look at me, Spock. God Damn It. If I'm going to die, give me the small courtesy of some kind of response once and a while!" McCoy yelled moving in Spock's path to face him. He studied Spock's face, seeing the exhaustion and the dried green blood on the Vulcan's forehead. McCoy realized he never got around to treating that. They were all too worried about Jim. McCoy's expression softened. Spock was worrying about Jim. "I'm sorry, Spock," McCoy frowned, turning away from Spock.

Spock carefully set Jim down in the sand, kneeling next to him. "Perhaps we should rest." Spock said almost inaudibly. McCoy moved to the other side of Jim and sat down. He looked down at Jim. He took the wrist, feeling for a pulse, relieved to find it still there. He put the hand down but his fingers lingered on Jim's sleeve. He looked at Jim's face, ashen and cut up, beads of sweat over his brow and dark circles under his eyes. Those eyes were normally so full of life. Those hazel eyes that matched that golden hair of his. McCoy moved a loose strand back into place, then bringing his hand back down to rest on Jim's shoulder. "I guess Jim really is the glue that keeps us together, Spock. When he's out of commission, we argue like a pair of Tellarites. Well, this time, I guess I was doing most of the arguing on my own. Spock...I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

McCoy was interrupted by the whirl of a transporter beam and the next thing he knew he was on the Enterprise transporter platform.


	8. Final Chapter

McCoy turned , finding himself face to face with the Enterprise's Engineer

_Author's Note: This is the final chapter of The Desert Sun. Sorry it took so long to finish. I hope you enjoyed it. :-) _

McCoy turned, finding himself face to face with the Enterprise's Engineer. "Scotty! Am I glad to see you again. We need a gurney in here right away, Jim is in pretty rough shape." He said as he accepted the Scotsman's hand in getting up off the transporter.

"Aye, sir. Already on it's way. We were a wee bit worried when we received no communication from ya so we had a little chat with the Vulcan embassy. They said you hadna been seen for quite some time. We had quite the hard time in locatin' ya. Seems there was a desert storm there and sensors couldna geta fix. But we just now found ya a few kilometers away from the city." Scotty finished as the gurney came in accompanied by Dr. M'Benga and Nurse Chapel. He helped Spock lift the Captain onto it.

"A few kilometers! Spock, we were that close - oh never mind." McCoy shook his head moving towards the gurney. "He's got poison in his system. Some damn animal...a...le-matya. Check with the Vulcan Medical Center on that, we need an antidote and fast." McCoy said moving with the gurney as it was headed for sickbay. "Spock, you better get your pointy-eared self down there too, if I don't see you in five minutes, I'll send security to escort you. And don't doubt it." McCoy yelled back to Spock before the doors shut behind him.

Spock turned to Mr. Scott as soon as McCoy was out the doors. "Ship's status, Mr. Scott?"

"Fine, sir. Everything is in tip-top condition, sir." Scotty smiled at the Vulcan.

"Indeed, Mr. Scott. I shall report to sickbay...as...ordered." Spock turned towards the doors.

"Aye, sir." Scotty smiled.

"Ow! Bones!" Kirk grabbed his shoulder, wincing.

"Fine. I was just checking the wound. So help me if you die from an infection." McCoy muttered. Kirk relented and moved his hand, letting McCoy continue his work. "All right, I'll put you back on duty, but light duty. That means, not all hours of the day and night, no 24-hour shifts. Resting. Eating well. Taking care of yourself, all those complicated things that you never want to do." McCoy muttered, moving aside so Jim could sit up.

Jim got up and put on his shirt, wincing as he got it around his shoulder. "Thanks Bones."

Spock came in that moment, a clipboard in his hand.

"Spock! Ship's status?" Kirk asked upon seeing him. Spock handed him the clipboard and Kirk nodded his thanks.

"Are you feeling better, Captain?" Spock asked.

"Much better, Mister Spock. Bones is putting me back on duty." Kirk smiled.

"Light duty. As in, not regular duty. And if I find you working those long hour shifts, so help me - I will come up there and hypo you right there and bring you back down here and keep you sedated until you've healed to my satisfactory. That is an order." McCoy pointed his finger at Kirk's chest.

"That's funny, I thought I issued orders around here." Kirk mused, looking at Spock.

"Yeah, funny. Think of how funny it'll be when your wound is infected because you're not taking care of yourself. Maybe I should just take you off duty again, keep you here. If you don't think you can handle it -"

Kirk quickly interrupted him, "No, no. Bones. I promise. No long shifts. I'll be good. All right, Spock, let's get out of here and go mind the store while I still can."

"That would be a very wise idea, Captain." Spock said following the Captain out of sickbay.

As the doors closed behind them, McCoy smiled. They were back on the Enterprise. Here he was badgering Jim about taking care of himself and Spock was standing by his side. McCoy would never have it any other way. _Just glad to be home._

FIN (FINALLLYYYYY!)


End file.
